Meet Me in the Gardens
by 8Clarify8
Summary: Meet me in the gardens, gaze upon me from over the hedge. Let us dance like young fools in love- because we are both. Cedfia One-shot.


**Meet Me in the Gardens**

 **Sofia the First**

 **Rating:** T

 **Language:** English

 **Cedric/Older Sofia**

 **Summary:** Meet me in the gardens, gaze upon me from over the hedge. Let us dance like young fools in love- because we are both. Cedfia One-shot.

 **Meet Me in the Gardens**

 **One-shot**

She was grace- all the kind that involved dainty holding of spoons for tea, arranging flowers beautifully, the kind that danced among the trees and sang to the birds.

She was beauty- all sorts; she was the serenity of winter, the cold kiss upon lips that left your heart warm. She was the comfort of autumn, in thick robes and hiked skirts as they both walked across puddles out in the gardens. She was the freshness of spring, where everything was alive- where they both were happy. She was the summer heat, with smoldering eyes and a coy smile.

She was an angel among monsters, him included. He was inferior, substandard, second-rate. And she- _her_. She-she-

She was everything, and he was nothing compared.

He told himself this as he watched her waltz around the ball room with some Danish prince from Toscato- or wherever.

Really, he didn't care about that.

All he cared about was then, there, and that they were no longer by his side but on the arms of someone younger, better looking, and _not_ a villain.

His hand on his wand tightened inside his sleeve at his irritation, if he could he would breathe smoke from his nose like one of the great dragons that watches over them all. He excused himself from the queen's side, she dismissed him kindly- like she always did, only because she _pitied him_.

He stalked to the gardens with Wormwood by his side, he grumbled rantings that didn't make sense to either of them as he flung his wand in all directions. A stray spell hit one of the favored rose bushes and it wilted instantly.

Cedric sighed, fixing his mistake. Again, like he _always_ did. He was just one, big mess up all the time, wasn't he?

A piece of folded parchment laid gently on the ground where he was just standing, the corners bending in the gentle night breeze.

He was apprehensive about where it had come from, and reached for it carefully. It fell open between his fingers, neat scrawl written in the middle of the paper.

 _"Cedric,_

 _Meet me in the Gardens._

 _–Sofia"_

His heart stuttered in his chest.

 _He_ was there! In the Gardens! But she didn't specify when- wait, when did she put the note in his pocket?

Panic coursed through him, what if she was expecting him at the beginning of the ball? And he missed her!

"Oh, Wormwood," he sat down on the nearest bench, holding his head in his hands as thoughts raced through his mind and his heart was a jack-rabbit in his chest. He didn't understand his possessiveness of the girl, the close relationship he seemed to possess with her, the feelings he… harbored for her.

Soft foot-steps fell into the grass, but he heard the voice before he heard them.

"Cedric?" the voice was soft as it called out to him, timidly.

"Princess," he almost jumped up- well, really he did. He popped up behind a wall of bushes, and spotted her over it. Her blue eyes brightened as she gathered up her skirts and rushed over to see him, standing small against the hedge. He towered over it and looked down on her, giving her the smallest of smiles.

"I'm so glad you're out here, Cedric." The newly 19 year old girl stated, excitement shining in her eyes.

"Sofia," he greeted, his eyes instantly softening at the sight of her, "you're eyes reflect like Sapphires." He caught himself saying, his breath choking as a deep blush crawled up his neck and sat against his ears like a warm kiss.

Her eyes widened as a blush crept along her own cheeks, though a wide smile broke out on her face as she giggled.

"I-I" more giggles broke through, "I brought this for you," she held out a small gift for him, and he took it carefully.

"Sofia, I-I don't know what…" he was at a loss for words again, she had always seemed to do that to him, especially recently. She twisted her form as she swung her arms behind her back shyly.

"Just open it," she was giddy and shy, an adorable mixture. He opened the wooden box delicately, and inside laid a rolled up scroll. He broke the royal seal and read its contents, his eyes widening as he did so.

"Sofia, i-is this-"

"Yes!" She jumped up and down, "It's the spell we've been working on, and I finally finished it! I couldn't wait to show you but I wanted to make a presentation of it." She bit her bottom lip in her excitement, and he rushed around the hedge to pick the girl up and swing her around dramatically in their shared excitement.

"Oh!" Her eyes brightened once more, and he sat her down, his hands still grasped in her own. "I had one more thing to give you, Cedric." The smile she showed him made his heart thud painfully against his ribs.

"Yes? What is it, Sofia?" He breathed softly, the music inside giving a pleasant tune that played throughout the castle hallways, it drifted outside and gave a nice atmosphere around the two. She bit her lip then, suddenly looking nervous in her gown.

"W-would you care to dance with me, Cedric?" She glanced down at their joined hands, suddenly blushing prettily again. Cedric gently tipped her chin up to him, so she could see his gentle smile as he pressed a small kiss to her forehead like he has done many a time before.

"I would be honored, Princess." And with that they gripped hands, their other on her waist and his shoulder, and soon they were spinning and twirling around a small, private part of the garden. She stumbled over a misplaced rock, and he gripped around her waist tighter to his person so she didn't fall. They glanced at each other and shared similar looks of embarrassment and happiness, they both shared a light laugh as they twirled around the gardens.

She gazed up at him shyly from the corner of her eyes, her eye lashes were dark and rested daintily against her pale skin. His eyes widened a fraction, his heart thundering harder and he vaguely wondered if she could hear it.

The song they were dancing too was coming to a close, and their moves slowed but they stayed locked in each other's grips and eyes.

"Cedric?" She whispered his name lightly, as if she was scared he was going to disappear.

"Yes, Sofia?" He said just as softly, concerned for her sudden change in attitude.

She bit her lip, glanced towards the castle, and then looked up at the moon and stars overhead.

"Sofia-?" he was cut off when she snapped her eyes to him, he shifted uncomfortably beneath his robes.

And no sooner than he blinked were her lips on his, capturing his breath in his throat as her sweetness gathered around him. She parted, her sigh sweet against his as she gazed up at him. She blushed darker this time, and he shared in her expression.

"I'll admit that I've wanted to do that for a _very_ long time, Cedric." His name was a whisper against her lips, and he physically _ached_ to touch her again, to kiss her.

"Princess…" he sighed contentedly, gathering her in his arms in a hug as he ran his hand through her curled hair, pressing his nose against her forehead. She blushed dark as her skin tingled pleasantly from where he was holding her. "Your beauty is exquisite, your kindness infinite- and I've come to adore your presence, to where it's almost needed. Craved." He drew back and away from her, his eyes finding hers easily.

"I am not a good man, but I've come to fall in love with you, Sofia."

She couldn't seem to fit a smile big enough on her face at that, as she hugged him tighter.

"You are a great man, Cedric! And I've found myself in love with you since I was young girl. I do not wish to be married to some prince, or to live cooped up in a castle for the rest of my life. I enjoy our adventures into the forest and towns, finding potion ingredients- even travelling all across Enchancia and visiting other kingdoms to find new spells and develop new potions." Her eyes were shining. "Cedric, I _love you_."

"And I do not wish to be apart from you." She reasoned, Cedric gave her a soft smile, kissing her forehead once more.

"And I don't wish for you to leave my side, Sofia."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Fluff! Review please!**_


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